CHEMICAL, TRANSFORMATION OF ATRAZINE WITH SODIUM-AZIDE

We investigated the chemical transformation of atrazine with sodium az ide. Sodium azide reduced the atrazine level in the control reactors a t a rate much faster than the natural anaerobic biotransformation rate in wet-land sediment. The chemical transformation of sodium azide wit h atrazine was observed in the D.I. water sample reactors. It was evid ent from the study that higher the sodium azide concentration, the fas ter the dissipation of atrazine. Atrazine disappeared faster in anaero bic conditions than aerobic conditions. Based on limited mass spectral analysis, 3-ethylamino, 5-isopropylamino-s-triazyl azide and 3-ethyla mino, 5-isopropylamino-s-triazinone appeared to be the final transform ation products from the chemical interactions between atrazine and sod ium azide. This study clearly demonstrated that sodium azide must not be used to prepare control reactors in atrazine degradation studies.